Trinity students wall principal inside house of donated food

Trinity Lutheran School students canned their principal on Thursday.

More precisely, they walled him within a house created from food supplies to be donated to the Samaritan Center in Jefferson City.

After hearing of the center's need, more than 300 kindergarten through eighth-grade students gathered nearly 800 cans of food and dry goods in the past two weeks.

"This was an opportunity for our kids to do something locally," principal Ken Hartman said.

To prepare for the "Can Mr. Hartman" food drive, three teachers: Mary Huhmann, Debbie Resner and Rachel Gonzles, constructed a house made from the donations in the cafeteria.

The building was complete with a doorway, windows, a chimney and a small dining table for Hartman.

Hartman ate meals in the house during each of the students' four lunch shifts. He started with dessert before having the regular lunch menu during the second shift.

"Then I'll probably force myself to have another dessert," Hartman said.

Students seeing the house for the first time gasped in excitement and shouted out a chorus of "cool" and "awesome."

As Hartman stooped to enter his house with his tray of food, students in the cafeteria erupted into giggles, cheers and applause. Hartman waved from inside his house and students stopped by to talk.

"It looks really nice," third-grader Jordan Rust said. "I like the table."

Trinity Lutheran School is one of many in the community to contribute to the Samaritan Center after news of diverted resources following Hurricane Katrina.

Marylyn DeFeo, volunteer executive director of the Samaritan Center said, "Most every school in town has done something."

Third-grader Shain Johnson looked over the house and said he hoped the school had collected enough for everyone.

Since help from the community, the center has built up their food supplies.

"Our families and our students are extremely generous and when asked to support a cause, they're always willing to do it," Hartman said.

cknott@newstribune.com

Trinity Lutheran School third graders, at right, applaud as principal Ken Hartman eats his lunch inside a house of canned food items in school's lunchroom on Thursday. Students collected 90 crates of food items, then built the structure. The food will be donated to the Samaritan Center to help restock their supply. (Julie Smith/News Tribune photo)